NOVEL NEXT Chapter 58 – The Virtues of a Magical Girl (8)
“Magical Girl.”
Rene’s eyes sparkled as she looked at Aria. After all, it was her first time seeing a local Magical Girl. However, Rene didn’t know what kind of person Aria was or how strong she was.
And that was the same for Aria.
“You’re Aria…!”
“Don’t act like you know me, you trash.”
The aggressors who had turned pale from Rene’s murderous intent brightened at Aria’s appearance, and she bared her teeth, glaring at them.
They cowered into the corner in an instant. After all, what Aria aimed to protect wasn’t some pathetic aggressors.
“I uphold the order of this world. If Magical Girls without any proper norms or regulations act on their own whims, the world’s order collapses, and society falls into chaos.”
She glared at Lulu, who was flapping beside her. Lulu gulped nervously and tried to change the subject. The root of all these issues stemmed from the Fairy Companies failing to provide proper guidelines and only competing for results.
“So, does this society’s law judge them? Is everyone satisfied with that law? I doubt it.”
“That’s…”
Aria was at a loss for words at Rene’s statement.
Of course, there were laws in the Human Empire where Rene lived.
Though the nature and structure of those laws were quite different from Earth’s due to environmental differences, as someone in the upper class, Rene knew well that a perfect law did not exist.
“I know that order and discipline are important. But laws can’t always serve as a standard. Many people simply bear that imperfection for the sake of society. However, if there is a strong ‘power’ that can break that imperfection, is it necessary to adhere to those laws?”
Rene’s eyes turned cold. Though she was the same age as Aria now, her life as a princess and a sorceress had given her substantial depth.
She had seen and pondered much. Just as she had been tied down uselessly since the moment she was born, ultimately being sold off to the Demon Realm by countless laws and regulations.
Especially after witnessing the powerful governance of Takilas, the very law and principle of the Demon Realm, her thoughts had solidified further. An overwhelming force that could bend everything to its will.
And the perfect control and domination based on that. Rene was gradually being influenced by the beliefs of the Divine and Demon Realms that Takilas had established.
“In my view, Magical Girls have enough potential to become that power. They could become the knights who create a new order in this world.”
“That’s not entirely wrong, but you seem to be mistaken about something. Are you really a high school student?”
However, Aria smiled bitterly at Rene’s words.
“Most Magical Girls and Fairy Companies are foolish and irresponsible. There’s no way they can become a new order. Are you really trying to be that kind of existence by yourself?”
Aria, being a newcomer and knowing the realities of the Magical Girl world better than the otherworldly Rene, couldn’t follow her kind of Magical Girl-centric theory.
The teen Magical Girls, of course, and those in their 20s and 30s who were jaded by the world—everyone was too preoccupied with their own affairs.
“There’s not a single person on this land who can be called a definite force for good, including myself. And there’s another major problem.”
“…What is it?”
“We are too weak to embrace the world.”
Aria lowered her head.
What Rene’s theory needed most was overwhelming power. A single peak that reigned above all.
However, there was little chance that a Magical Girl, merely a mercenary for the Fairy Company, or even a Magical Girl Group could become that peak. Just a little visibility and they’d turn cautious of each other.
“That’s impossible. There must be someone who can bend everyone and serve as a reference point.”
Rene tilted her head as if she couldn’t understand. After all, the very reason she brought up the topic had become backed by evidence.
Suddenly, Aria’s brow twitched.
“Takilas. No, I mean, she’s in this world.”
Clueless as ever, Rene unintentionally dropped the name of a subject that was essentially a taboo for Aria.
“Takilas is chaos!”
Aria raised her voice for the first time in her life and shouted sharply. She was so excited that her fists trembled, and she was startled by her own wide-eyed expression.
“And that girl is still a child. She can’t lead people just because she thinks highly of herself. She probably doesn’t even want that.”
She tried to calm her quivering voice. Rene’s gaze shifted slightly. She was reminded once more that this world’s Takilas wasn’t the Demon King but a Magical Girl.
“The mainstream of this world isn’t us or the Fairy Companies. It’s these people. Laws and regulations are created, modified, and enforced by them. We’re merely offshoots.”
“…That’s unfortunate. I can’t agree with that. What if we’re offshoots? If we have the power and potential to correct what’s wrong, we should try. Only we ‘offshoots’ can listen to the voices of those oppressed and suffering under the mainstream.”
Once again, Aria and Rene’s opinions clashed.
Right at this moment, Aria, who lived as a resident of this world and loved Earthlings while believing in their potential, and Rene, who held onto her growing frustration at the flawed regulations and laws, had fundamentally different values and priorities, making it unlikely for their opinions to align.
“Then I have no choice but to stop you.”
Aria gritted her teeth and summoned her power. Fiery red magical energy surged through her body, and Rene’s eyes widened slightly at the sight.
‘Comparable to a guard captain’s strength.’
Just as the past Takilas had described Aria as a seed on the level of a brigade commander, Rene recognized that strength too.
However, Rene’s eyes didn’t waver. She had no thought of losing, nor did she plan to fight Aria.
“I think you’re misunderstanding one thing. I don’t judge with my own hands.”
And then she turned towards the victim, who was still shivering and lying on the ground.
Rene snapped her fingers and pulled something out of thin air. The item she retrieved from her unique pocket dimension she used as a storage was a bottle filled with liquid. She handed it to the injured student.
“This is a potion containing the holy power of a priest. If you drink it, your wounds will heal, and your pain will disappear.”
“Th-thank you…”
“So, tell me. Will you forgive them just like this? I heard that if you let them go like this, they won’t face punishment unless you report them.”
Kneeling on one knee, Rene matched her gaze with the student and spoke gently. The young man, blushing as he looked into her eyes, hesitated at the mention of reporting.
“The conclusion is in.”
“What…?”
“This child has decided to give the law of this land one last chance.”
After a brief conversation shielded by soundproofing magic, Rene stood up not long after. She then withdrew her power. Everyone was taken aback by her unexpected words.
“The law will judge them according to this child’s will. However, if that law fails to function properly, if it does not punish them to the extent that this child is satisfied…”
Rene pointed at the aggressors and then turned her gaze towards Aria.
“I will take matters into my own hands. And when the time comes, those who will burn at my hands won’t be limited to just them.”
This was a declaration of sorts. A proclamation of war against a system that would fail to do its job properly.
“You’re calling the police, right…?”
At that moment, all eyes widened at the sight of the victim student calling the police. Only Rene kept her gaze fixed on the panicking aggressors, staring them down.
*
“What in the world happened? We’ve got another Takilas-level lunatic on our hands!?”
“No, that’s not it.”
Right after the situation was resolved, Aria, sitting alone on the nearby building rooftop, buried her face in her knees while ignoring Lulu, who was causing a ruckus beside her.
The reason she felt so downcast was that she understood what Rene’s declaration meant.
“Honestly, I can’t call it perfect. There will always be unjust victims. Because everyone is human.”
“Aria…”
“But in this reality, which is neither utopia nor paradise, I thought that was just how it was. That’s what the director said.”
It couldn’t be perfect. She thought that was the cold reality. So she believed that all she could do was try harder.
She never considered that she could mend that with the power of a Magical Girl she held.
But Rene was different. She believed that with the power of a Magical Girl, one could transcend the limitations of reality and achieve a dream.
“…I’m not sure.”
Aria sighed. She needed something to solidify her wavering conviction. But even she had no certainty.
So she had a hunch that this incident would be a turning point. That’s why she hoped that those she believed in and wished to protect would show themselves in the right way.